Firing device for submarine mines, torpedoes, or the like



Patented Apf. 13, 1920.

0 u 5 4 3 0a iiij av 2/ 2 4111-411? N. W. UHR AND J. H. SANDBERG.

FIRING DEVICE FOR SUBMARINE MINES, TORPEDOES, OR THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 24. 1916. 1,336,873.

g// V l w TTNTT gTTES PATENT @FFTQE NILS WILHELIVI UHR, OF GOTTENBOBG, AND JOHAN HJALMAR, SANDBERG, OF STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN.

FIRING- DEVICE FOR SUBMARINE I/ZINES, TORPEDOES, OR THE LIKE.

Application filed April 24,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, NILs VILHELM Fun, a citizen of the Kingdom of Sweden, residing at Gottenborg, Sweden, and JOHAN Harman Snrznnnns, a citizen of the Kingdom of Sweden, residing at Stokholm, Sweden, have invented new and useful Improvements in Firing Devices for Submarine Mines, Torpedoes, or the like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to submarine mines, torpedoes or the like and more particularly to a firing device intended for use in such submarine bodies and provided with a weight effecting the firing by releasing the firing hammer, when moved out of positlon by pushes imparted to the submarine body.

The object of the invention is to provide a firing device of this type, in which the weight does not tend to release the firing hammer by movements of the submarine body arising from waves or currents in the water surrounding the immerged body.

The invention consists, chiefly, in the combination with the weight of a base plate, preferably, of circular shape and resting on a supporting plate or the like. By means of this arrangement there exists, even in the rest position of the weight, a certain moment equal to the gravity of the weight multiplied by the radius of the base plate, which moment has to be overcome, ere the weight can be tilted for the purpose of releasing the firing hammer.

In order that our invention may be clearly understood, we have shown it applied to a well-known form of submarine mines, and in the accompanying drawing a section of the upper portion of the mine is illustrated.

Referring to the drawing, 1 is the firing hammer and 2 a spring actuating the same. The firing hammer is retained in raised position against the action of the spring 2 by means of a bell-crank actuated by a spring 4 and provided with a hooked end adapted to engage a projection 3 on the hammer 1. Movably connected with the other end of the bell crank 5 is one end of an angle rod 6, the other end of which engages a spindle or stem 7 supporting a weight 8 and attached to a circular base plate 9 resting on a circular supporting plate 10 or the like. The upper end of the Specification of Letters Patent.

1916. Serial No. 93,175.

angle rod 6 rests on the base plate .9. If desired, the stem 7 may be retained at its upper end, for instance by means of a bar 11 engaging said upper end and adapted to keep the weightimmovable during the storingand launching of the mine. When, on launching, the mine is submerged in the water, a compressed air supply mechanism (not shown) is actuated by the water pressure in such manner that compressed air is supplied through a pipe 15 to the space 16 above a piston 12 movable up and down in a cylinder 17 and retained in its uppermost position by a spring 18. By means of the compressed air, the piston 12 moves downward at the same time compressing the springs 2 and 1.8. The interior of the cylinder 17 being connected through an aperture 19 with the space outside the cylinder, no appreciable resistance can be offered to the movement of the piston by the air contained in the cylinder. In the lowermost position of the piston 12 a pin 20 secured to the same, enters a recess 21 made in a bell crank lever 22 pivotally connected to anextension 23 of the cylinder 17. Owing thereto, the said bell crank lever turns under the action of a spring 24, the movement of the bell crank lever being transferred by a rod 25 to the bar 11 so as to release the same from the stem 7 of the weight 8.

llhen the upper end of the stem 7 is released from the barll and, consequently, is only supported by the plate 10, the weight 8 together with the spindle 7 and the plate 9 will, if the mine be actuated by a push of sufficient force, turn over to one side or another about the edge of the plate 9. In consequence thereof the angle rod 6 will be raised, so as to turn the bell crank 5 against the action of spring 4. If the bell crank 5 be turned a suflicient angle, it will release the projection 3 and the firing hammer 1, which by the spring 2 will be forced to cause the explosion of the charge.

In order to adjust the sensitiveness of the device the weight 8 may be adjusted along the spindle 7, preferably, by the spindle being threaded and provided with nuts 13, 14 for retaining the weight in desired positions on the spindle. To the same purpose one end of the spring 4: is attached to an adjusting screw 12 by the aid of which the spring 4 may by means of the angle rod 6 be caused to keep the base plate 9 with the spindle 7 resting more or less firmly on the supporting plate 10.

Having now'described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A firing mechanism for submarine bodies, comprising a firing hammer, a supporting plate, a base plate resting on the latter and adapted to move out of rest position by a push imparted to the submarine body, means for locking the firing hammer in inoperative position, a connection between the base plate and said means adapted to release the latter on the movements of the base plate, a spindle placed on said base plate, a weight on the spindle, and means for adjusting the mobility of the base plate.

2. A firing mechanism for submarine bodies, comprising a firing hammer, a supporting plate, a base plate resting on the latter and adapted to move out of rest position by a push imparted to the submarine body, means for locking the firing hammer in inoperative position, a connection between the base plate and said means adapted to release the latter on the movements of the base plate, a spindle placed centrally on said base plate, a weight adjustable along the spindle, and an adjustable spring device counteracting the operation of said releasing means.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names.

NIL'S l VILHELM UHR. J OHAN HJALMAR SANDBERG. 

